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Wakefield Museums and Castles
The Pilgrimage of Grace
From 1536, Henry VIII wanted to destroy all of the Catholic monasteries in England. This was known as the dissolution of the monasteries.
The monks lived and worked in their local communities. They provided education and looked after the sick and elderly. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, many ordinary people were very unhappy. In medieval England, monasteries were crucial to the lives of common people.
In response, a group of rebels in Yorkshire started a revolt. This revolt was known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. It was led by Robert Aske. It started in October 1536 and spread across the country.
'The Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536', Fred Kirk Shaw, 1913. Wikimedia Commons.
Pontefract Castle belonged to the Crown. It was held by Thomas Darcy at this time. However, Thomas sympathised with the rebels and surrendered the castle to them.
Despite the rebellion having several thousand followers, they were defeated by the King in February 1537. Thomas Darcy was executed for treason.
Find out more on a tour
If you would like to find out more, then come and visit us at Pontefract Castle!
We run two types of guided tour every weekend:
- Our Dungeon Tours explore the eerie underground dungeon. They are at 10:45am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Our Castle Explorer Tours tell stories of the castle's past around the grounds. They are at 2pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.